Machine for filling and assembling slide-boxes.



N0-'755,3l2. PATENTED MAR. 22, 1904. G. W. PERKS.

MACHINE FOR FILLING AND ASSEMBLING SLIDE BOXES.

APPLIOATION FILED OCT. 19, 1903.

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No. 755,312. PATENTED MAR. 22, 1904.

G. W. PBRKS.

MACHINE FOR FILLING AND ASSEMBLING SLIDE BOXES. APPLIQATION rILnp00T.19, 190a.

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I iqwvenl oz George WPerJS l/vil'uemcs Ji M W- M 61mm? PATENTED MAR. 22,1904.

, G. W. PERKS.

MACHINE FOR FILLING ANDASSEM'BLING SLIDE BOXES.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 19, 1903.

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Quinn-Mes :No. 755.312. PATENTED MAR.22,.1L'904.

" G.,W.PERK'S.

MACHINE FOR FILLING AND ASSEMBLING SLIDE BOXES.

APPLICATION FILED 00119, 1903.

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ITED STATES Fatented March 22, 1904.

PATENT GFFTCE.

I GEORGE W. Peeks, or SPRINGFIELD, oHIo.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 755,312, dated I lIaroh22, 1904.

Application filed October 19, 1903.

To all whom itpmay concern:

' Be it known that I, GEORGE W. PERKS, a citizen of' the United States,residing at Springfield, in the county of Clark and State of Ohio,have'invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines forFilling and Assembling Slide-Boxes, of which the following is aspecitain novel features which I will now proceed the actuating-camtherefor. sectional view of a portion of the hopper, showto describe andwill then particularly point outin the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is aplan view of a machineembodying my invention in one form. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of thesame. Fig. 3 is a central vertical sectional view taken on the line w'ofFig. 1 and looking in the direction'of the arrows. Fig. 4 is an enlargeddetail sectional view of the feeding-hopper and its associated parts.Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the agitator detached. Fig. 6 isa similar view of Fig. 7 is a detail ing one of the stripping-arms whichcooperate with-the stripping-roller; and Fig. 8 is a similar view of thestripping-roller.

ing-frame, comprising a suitable top or table 2, on which the bodies andcovers may be supported prior to their introduction into the ma' In thesaid drawings, 1 indicates a support- Serial No. 177,582. oio inodel.)

1, the drive being by any suitablemeans as, for instance, asprocket-chain 9 and sprocketwheels 10 and 11, mounted, respectively, onV the shafts 3 and 7. On the shaft 7 there is loosely mounted a hollowshaft or sleeve 12, which is free to rotate independently of the shaft 7andwhich is not rotated thereby. This hollow shaft extends through oneof the bearings 8, as shown at 13, and its end which projects beyondsaid bearing has secured on it a ratchet-wheel 14:, by means of whichthe shaft 12' is given an intermittent rotary movement by suitablemechanism, preferably as follows:

A countershaft 15 is mounted in suitable bearings in the frame 1 and isprovided with a sprocket-wheel 16, around which the sprocketchain 9passes. end thereof adjacent to the ratchet-wheel 14: with a crank-arm17, to which is pivoted one end of a connecting-rod 18, the other end ofwhich is pivoted to a lug 19 on a disk 20, loosely mounted on the shaft7 and provided with a flange 21, inclosing the ratchet-wheel 1 1. Theflange of the disk 20 is provided with a spring-pawl 22, which engageswith the teeth of the ratchet-wheel when the disk 20 moves in onedirection and which slips over said teeth without affecting theratchet-wheel when the disk moves in the opposite direction.

The length of the connecting-rod 18 is preferably made adjustable forthe purpose hereinafter set forth, and to that end the said rod is madein two parts, the adjacent ends of which are oppositely-threaded andunited by a turnbuckle 23.

On the hollow shaft 12 there are mounted, so as to move in unisontherewith and with each other, two drums'or intermittently-rotatingcarriers 24L and 25. The said drums are separated a suflicient distanceto accommodate the filling-hopper between them and'are set in openingsin the table 2, so that about half of each drum projects above thetable. The peripheral face of each drum is provided with paralleltransverse guide ribs or projections 26, forming between. them slidewaysor receptacles 27, within which the bodies and covers fit, so as to beheld and move longitudinally. The slideways of the two drums 24: and25are equal in number and in direct alinement with This shaft isprovided at the,

each other. Preferably one side or edge of each rib 26 is beveled off orrounded, as indicated at 28, so as to enlarge the mouth or opening ofthe slideways in such a manner as to facilitate the insertion therein ofthe bodies and covers.

As each slideway reaches its highest position it comes into line with aplunger 29, which is mounted in a bearing 30 on the frame 1, throughwhich bearing its stem 31 is adapted to slide. The outer end of saidstem lies in the path of a cam 32, carried on the end of the shaft 7, sothat when the rotary carrier or drum is stationary said cam will forcethe plunger forward. The plunger may be retracted in any suitablemanneras, for instance, by means of a spring 33.

The drum 25 has mounted at one side of it a cam 34, secured to the frame1 and extending upward adjacent to the end of the drum, near the topthereof, diverging forwardly therefrom, as indicated in Fig. 1. This camserves to engage the ends of the box-covers after they have beeninserted in the slideways of said drum as they rise above the table, sothat as each cover reaches its uppermost position said cam acts as astop to hold said cover of the box against outward movement along theslideway and insures its being held in proper position to receive thefilled body. Each slideway of the drum 25 is provided at the top andbottom and on both sides of its inner end with springs 35, which areadapted to enter the open mouth of the box-coverand which not only serveto hold said cover in position at this end, but also to facilitate theintroduction into the cover of the filled body. These springs aresubstantially similar to those shown and described in United StatesLetters Patent, No. 409,481, of August 28, 1889, and therefore need nodetailed description here.

36 indicates a slideway supported between the two drums of the carrieron brackets 37 arising from the table 2, said slideway being fixed andin alinement with the two uppermost slideways of the drums when theselatter are stationary. Above this slideway 36 and opening into the sameis a feeding-hopper 38, in which the matches to be placed in the boxesare kept. One of the inclined walls of this hopper (indicated at 39) isprovided with springs 40, secured at their upper ends to the wall of thehopper and extending downward partially across the discharge-mouththereof, their free lower ends being adapted to rest on the edges of thebody which is being filled, restraining the matches from entering thesame except successively, beginning with the forward end of the body,and thereby preventing choking of the bodies during the fillingoperation. In order to prevent clogging of the matches in the hopper, Iprovide in the space between the two springs 40 an agitator 41,consisting of a plate sliding up and down in said space, being guidedand retained therein in any suitable manner-as, for instance, by headedpins or screws 42 passing through slots 43 in the wall 39 of the hopper.This plate has aprojection 44 on its rear face, which passes through aslot 45 in the wall 39 and lies in the path of a rotating cam or striker46, mounted on a shaft 47, supported in suitable bearings on the wall39. This cam depresses or moves downward the agitator 41, which isimmediately retracted by means of a spring 48. The opposite inclinedwall 49 of the hopper terminates some distance above the top of thebodies lying in the slideway 36 and is provided with bearings 50, inwhich is supported a shaft 51, driven by means of a pulley 52 and belt53 from any suitable source of power in such a way that the lowerportion of said shaft moves in a direction opposite to the travel of thebodies in the slideway 36. It may be here stated that the shaft 47 isdriven from the shaft 51 by means of a belt 54 passing around pulleys 55and 56 on the respective shafts. On the shaft 51 is mounted astripping-roller comprising a central fluted portion 57 and lateralsmooth portions 58, separated from the central portion by spaces 59.This roller is preferably made of rubber, and the central portion is ofslightly greater diameter than the lateral portions, its lowermost partbeing on a level with the top of the bodies, and the flutings thereinbeing of such a size as to receive therein a single match. In the spaces59 between the sections of the roller are fittedthe stripping-arms 60,preferably made in two parts, as shown in Fig. 7, and so constructedthat the central portion 57 of the stripping-roller extends a distanceequal to the diameter of a match below the lowermost portion of thestrippingarms. The portions of said stripping-arms which extend inwardtoward the hopper are so curved as to project beyond the face of thestripping-roller above its lower portion, as shown in Fig. 4, therebypreventing the matches in the hopper from coming into contact with saidstripping-roller except at its lower portion and removing from thefluted central portion thereof any matches which may tend to stick inthe grooves. The stripping-roller has its outer sections 58 made of lessdiameter than the central sections in order to make room for the headsof the matches, which are of larger diameter than the bodies thereof.The stripping-roller thus constructed will prevent overfilling of thebox-bodies, stripping-off and returning to the hopper any excess ofmatches which may lie upon the top of the full complement in the body.

The guideway 36 serves as a support for a curved spring 61, secured atone end to said guideway and lying adjacent to the edge of the drum 24immediately in front of the receiving end of the slideway 36. Thisspring serves to press back into the drum 24 any body which mightthrough carelessness project beyond the drum, and thus come into contactwith the slideway 36 when moving up into alinement with it. To theopposite end of the slide 36 and on the rear side .thereofis' secured acurved spring 62, which serves to push the filled bodies fully into thecovers in the manner hereinafter set forth.

Opposite the lower portion of the drum 25 is located a plunger 63,actuated by a cam 64:, carried by the shaft 3. The plunger 63 is mountedin a guide 65, carried by a bracket 66, depending from the table 2, andas a means for steadying the plunger I prefer to provide the bracket 66with asecond guide 67, adapted to receive a guide-rod 68, connected withthe plunger 63 by a cross-head 69. Springs 7 0 serve to withdraw theplunger 63 when the cam 64 has passed the same. The location of theplunger is such and its movements are so timed that as each slideway ofthe drum 25 comes opposite it and the drum comes to rest said plungermoves forward along the, slideway to eject the filled and covered boxtherefrom.

I have shown the machine as provided with a brake, comprising afoot-lever 71 and lifting-spring 72, said lever being provided with astrap 7 3, which passes around a brake-wheel 74 on the shaft 3, so thatby pressure on the foot-lever the operator may instantly stop themachine if necessary.

The machine thus constructed operates in the following manner: Theoperator is seated at the front of the machine, with the bodies andcovers conveniently supported on the table 2. As the carrier composedof. the drums 24 and 25 intermittently rotates the successivelyappearingslideways therein are filled, those of the drum 24 receiving the bodiesand those of the drum 25 receiving the covers. When a slideway of thedrum 24 comes opposite the fixed slideway 36, the plunger 29 forces thebody from the drum 2 L into the slideway 36. Assuming that there are twoother bodies in said slideway 36, one filled and the other partiallyfilled, the forward movement of the entering body will push the filledbody out of the other end of the slideway 36 into the cover lying in theslideway of the drum 25, which is in alinement with the slideway 36.This cover is held in position by the cam 34, which lies back of it, andby the springs 35, which embrace its receiving end and which serveto'guide the filled body into it. After the filled body has been thuspushed into position it is not en' tirely central within the cover, forthe reason that the following body must not so project beyond theslideway 36 as to be engaged by the drum 25 in its next movement. Whenthe carrier moves another step, however, which is after the plunger 29has returned to its normal position, the spring 62 bears upon the end ofthe filled body lying within its cover in the drum 25 and pushes thesame into its final position. As the carrier continues to LettersPatent, is

revolve the filled and covered boxes remain in position in the drum 25,in which they are held by frictional contact with the walls of theslideways in which they lie and by their enthe ratchet-clutch. by whichthe carrier is moved as toinsure the proper alinementofthe slideways onthe drums with the fixed slide. 'way between them at each period of restof the carrier. I

It is obvious that various modificationsv in the details of constructionmaybe made without departing from the principle of my invention, and Itherefore do not wish to be un' derstood as limiting myself to theprecise de' tails of construction hereinbefore described, and shown inthe accompanying drawings.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by 1. A machine for filling and assembling boxes,comprising an intermittently-rotating carrier composed of two separatedrums having alined peripheral slideways, a fixed slideway between thedrums, a filling-hopper located above said fixed slideway. and means formoving the box-bodies from one drum to the other along said fixedslideway, substantially as described.

2. A machine for-filling and assembling boxes, comprising anintermittently-rotating carrier composed of two separated drums toreceive the box bodies and covers respectively, said drums havingalined, peripheral slideways, a fixed slideway between the drums, afillinghopper located above said fixed slideway,

from its drum to the cover carrying drum along the fixed slideway, andmeans for holding the cover while the filled box-body is being insertedtherein, substantially as described.

3. A machine for filling and assembling boxes, comprising anintermittently-rotating carrier composed of two separated drums toreceive the box bodies and covers respectively, said drums having alinedperipheral slideways, a fixed slideway between the drums, afillinghopper located above said fixed slideway, means for successivelyshifting each box-body from its drum to the cover-carrying drum alongthe fixed slideway, means for holding the cover while the filledbox-body is being inserted therein, and means for discharging thecompleted package from the drum which carries it, substantially asdescribed.

The

'means for successively shifting eachbox-body IYIR'I 4. A machine forfilling and assembling boxes, comprising an intermittently-rotatingcarrier composed of two separated drums to receive the box bodies andcovers respectively, said drums having alined peripheral slideways, afixed slideway between the drums,'a fillinghopper located above saidfixed slideway, a plunger reciprocating in the plane of the fixedslideway to successively shift each box-body from its drum to thecover-carrying drum along the fixed slideway, and an abutment forholding the cover against longitudinal movement while the filledbox-body is being inserted therein, substantially as described.

5. A machine for filling and assembling boxes, comprising anintermittently-rotating carrier composed of two separated drums toreceive the box bodies and covers respectively, said drums having alinedperipheral slideways, a fixed slideway between the drums, afillinghopper located above said fixed slideway, a plunger reciprocatingin the vertical plane of the fixed slideway to successively shift eachbox-body from its drum to the cover-carrying drum along the fixedslideway, an abutment for holding the cover against longitudinalmovement while the filled box-body is being inserted therein, and meansfor discharging the completed package from the drum by which it iscarried, substantially as described.

6. A machine for filling and assembling boxes, comprising anintermittently-rotating carrier composed of two separated drums toreceive the box bodies and covers respectively, said drums having alinedperipheral slideways, a fixed slideway between the drums, afilling-hopper located above said fixed slideway, a plungerreciprocating in the vertical plane of the fixed slideway tosuccessively shift each box-body from its drum to the cover-carryingdrum along the fixed slideway, an abutment for holding the cover againstlongitudinal movement while the filled box-body is being insertedtherein, and a second plunger for discharging the completed package fromthe drum by which it is carried, substantially as described.

7. In a machine for filling and assembling boxes, the combination, witha carrier composed of two separated drums to receive the box bodies andcovers respectively, said drums having alined peripheral slideways, of afixed slideway between the drums, and a spring'located adjacent to thereceiving-mouth of said slideway, to push back the box-bodies as theyapproach said fixed slideway, substantially as described.

8. In a machine for filling and assembling boxes, the combination, witha carrier composed of two separated drums to receive the box bodies andcovers respectively, said drums having alined peripheral slideways, of afixed slideway between the drums, a reciprocating plunger forsuccessively shifting each boxbody from its drum to the cover-carryingdrum along the fixed slideway. means for holding the cover While thefilled box-body is being inserted therein, and a spring located adjacentto the discharging end of the fixed slideway to press the box-bodycompletely into the cover, substantially as described.

9. In a machine for filling and assembling boxes, the combination, withan intermittentlyrotating carrier composed of two separated drums havingalined peripheral slideways, a fixed slideway between the drums, andmeans for moving the box-bodies from one drum to the other along saidfixed slideway, of a ratchetclutch for actuating said carrier, a shaft,and a connecting-rod from said shaft to actuate said ratchet-clutch,said connecting-rod being provided with means for adjusting its lengthto insure the proper registering of the fixed and movable slideways,substantially as described.

10. In a machine for filling and assembling boxes, the combination, witha rotating shaft provided with a cam, and a plunger actuated thereby, ofa fixed slideway, and a carrier comprising a hollow shaft looselymounted on said rotating shaft and provided with separated drums havingalined peripheral slideways, the fixed slideway being located betweensaid drums, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE W. PERKS. Witnesses:

E. O. HAGAN, IRVINE MILLER.

